Drum pedal systems

Abstract

A user-adjustable drum pedal having foot-pedal geometries corresponding to the biomechanical requirements of a user. Preferred embodiments of the system utilize an adjustable foot pedal in combination with a laterally movable drum beater drive assembly functioning to maintain proper mechanical geometries within the operating apparatus. The angular position of the foot pedal is selectable by the user.

1. A drum-pedal system related to foot-actuated playing of at least one drum by at least one drum player, said drum-pedal system comprising, in combination:
 a) at least one foot pedal, having at least one toe-end portion and at least one heel-end portion, said at least one foot pedal structured and arranged to receive at least one foot of the at least one drum player; 
 b) at least one hinge structured and arranged to hingedly couple said at least one heel-end portion with said at least one toe-end portion to enable up-and-down movement of said at least one toe-end portion about at least one first rotational axis; 
 c) at least one rotatable support bar structured and arranged to provide rotatable-bar support about at least one second rotational axis; 
 d) at least one positioning frame structured and arranged to position said at least one rotatable support bar adjacent said at least one toe-end portion; 
 e) a pivot structured and arranged to provide side-to-side pivoting of said at least one toe-end portion about a third rotational axis intersecting said at least one heel-end portion and oriented substantially perpendicular to such at least one first rotational axis; 
 f) coupled with said at least one rotatable support bar, at least one drum-striker structured and arranged to strike the at least one drum on rotation of said at least one rotatable support bar; 
 g) at least one bar rotator structured and arranged to rotate said at least one rotatable support bar when pressure is applied to said at least one toe-end portion; and 
 h) at least one striker-return assembly structured and arranged to return said at least one drum-striker to at least one starting position when pressure is removed from the at least one foot pedal; 
 i) wherein said at least one bar rotator is mounted to said at least one rotatable support bar to allow lateral movement of said at least one bar rotator, in at least one direction substantially parallel with said at least one second rotational axis, in coordination with such side-to-side pivoting of said at least one toe-end portion about such third rotational axis; 
 j) wherein said at least one bar rotator comprises
 i) releasably coupled to said at least one rotatable support bar, at least one torque arm structured and arranged to induce a rotation of said at least one first rotatable support bar by the application of at least one torque-arm force, and 
 ii) at least one linkage structured and arranged to operably link said at least one torque arm with said at least one toe-end portion; 
 
 k) wherein said at least one torque arm comprises at least one lateral adjuster structured and arranged allow lateral adjustment to the position of at least one torque arm, in at least one direction substantially parallel with said at least one second rotational axis; 
 l) wherein said at least one linkage comprises
 i) at least one first coupler structured and arrange to couple a first end portion of said at least one linkage to said at least one toe-end portion, and 
 ii) at least one second coupler structured and arrange couple a second end portion of said at least one linkage to said at least one torque arm; and 
 
 m) wherein said at least one first coupler comprises at least one spherical bearing structured and arranged to permit angular rotation of said at least one linkage about at least one central connection point. 
 
     
     
       2. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein the position of said pivot relative to said at least one positioning frame is at least adjustable along at least one line oriented substantially parallel with said at least one second rotational axis. 
     
     
       3. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein the location of said pivot is fixed relative to said at least one positioning frame. 
     
     
       4. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one positioning frame comprises at least one coupling device structured and arranged to couple said at least one positioning frame to the at least one drum. 
     
     
       5. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 4  wherein said at least one coupling device comprises at least one clamping device structured and arranged to provide clamp-assisted coupling of said at least one positioning frame to the at least one drum. 
     
     
       6. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 5  wherein said at least one drum-striker and said at least one clamping device are each alignable to at least one position of intersection with a substantially vertical plane passing through said pivot and oriented substantially perpendicular to said at least one second rotational axis. 
     
     
       7. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 5  wherein:
 i) the relative positions of said at least one drum-striker, said at least one clamping device, and said pivot are positionally fixed within said at least one positioning frame; and 
 ii) said at least one drum-striker, said at least one clamping device, and said pivot are each geometrically aligned to intersect a substantially vertical plane oriented substantially perpendicular to said at least one second rotational axis. 
 
     
     
       8. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 5  wherein said at least one positioning frame comprises at least one base support structured and arranged to support said at least one positioning frame on at least one supportive surface. 
     
     
       9. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one first striker-return assembly comprises at least one spring structured and arranged to generate at least one biasing force having at least one first end coupled with said at least one positioning frame and at least one second end eccentrically coupled with said at least one rotatable support bar. 
     
     
       10. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one positioning frame further comprises projecting generally upwardly from said at least one base support, a single support column structured and arranged to support said at least one first rotatable support bar in at least one substantially horizontal position adjacent said at least one toe-end portion. 
     
     
       11. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one positioning frame further comprises:
 i) projecting generally upwardly from said at least one base support, a single support column structured and arranged to support said at least one first rotatable support bar in at least one substantially horizontal position at an elevation above said at least one toe-end portion; 
 ii) wherein said single support column comprises at least one friction-reducing bearing structured and arranged to provide reduced-friction rotation of said at least one first rotatable support bar during such support; 
 iii) wherein said at least one first rotatable support bar is arranged to passes through said single support column; 
 iv) wherein said at least one drum-striker is mounted to said at least one first rotatable support bar on a first side of said single support column; and 
 v) wherein said at least one torque arm is mounted to said at least one first rotatable support bar on a second side of said single support column. 
 
     
     
       12. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one positioning frame further comprises:
 i) projecting generally upwardly from said at least one base support, at least two support columns structured and arranged to support said at least one first rotatable support bar in at least one substantially horizontal position at an elevation above said at least one toe-end portion; 
 ii) wherein each said at least two support columns comprise at least one friction-reducing bearing structured and arranged to provide reduced-friction rotation of said at least one first rotatable support bar during such support. 
 
     
     
       13. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 12  further comprising:
 i) at least one additional rotatable support bar structured and arranged to provide rotatable-bar support about said at least one second rotational axis; 
 ii) coupled with said at least one additional rotatable support bar at least one additional drum-striker structured and arranged to be independently actuatable by at least one additional rotation-generating torque force; and 
 iii) at least one additional striker-return assembly structured and arranged to return said at least one additional drum-striker to at least one starting position when such at least one additional rotation-generating torque force is removed from said at least one additional rotatable support bar; 
 iv) wherein said at least one bar rotator is positioned to the right of said at least one drum-striker and said at least one additional drum-striker, as oriented relative to the foot of a user during operation. 
 
     
     
       14. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 13  further comprising:
 i) at least one additional foot-actuated pedal assembly structured and arranged to generate such at least one additional rotation-generating torque force when pressure is applied to at least one additional foot pedal of said at least one additional foot-actuated pedal assembly; and 
 ii) at least one force-transfer linkage structured and arranged to transfer such at least one additional rotation-generating torque force to said at least one additional rotatable support bar. 
 
     
     
       15. The drum-pedal system according to  claim 14  wherein said at least one force-transfer linkage comprises at least one angular adjuster structured and arranged to allow user-selected angular adjustments of said at least one additional foot-actuated pedal relative to said at least one additional rotatable support bar. 
     
     
       16. An adjustable drum pedal comprising, in combination:
 i) at least one foot pedal; 
 ii) at least one base plate; 
 iii) at least one frame coupled to said at least one base plate; 
 iv) at least one transverse bar, having at least one slot running at least one length of said at least one transverse bar, said at least one transverse bar coupled to said at least one frame and raised above said at least one base plate; 
 v) at least one drum-beater mechanism movably coupled to said at least one frame to allow at least one user to adjust at least one position of said at least one drum-beater mechanism on said at least one frame; 
 vi) at least one drive assembly movably coupled to said at least one drum-beater mechanism and said at least one foot pedal structured and arranged to move said at least one drum-beater mechanism when pressure is applied to said at least one foot pedal and return said at least one drum-beater mechanism to at least one starting position when such pressure is removed from said at least one foot pedal; and 
 vii) at least one adjustment device, having at least one first end coupled to said at least one foot pedal and at least one second end slidably coupled in said at least one slot of said at least one transverse bar to assist adjusting at least one position of said at least one foot pedal relative to said at least one base plate. 
 
     
     
       17. The adjustable drum pedal according to  claim 16  wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises:
 i) at least one foot-pedal tab hingedly coupled to said at least one foot pedal structured and arranged to allow said at least one foot pedal to pivot in a substantially up-and-down motion; and 
 ii) at least one bar-link member having at least one first end coupled to said at least one foot pedal tab and at least one second end slidably coupled in said at least one slot of said at least one bar. 
 
     
     
       18. The adjustable drum pedal according to  claim 16  further comprising:
 i) at least one clamping device movably coupled to said at least one base plate structured and arranged to allow the at least one user to couple said at least one adjustable drum pedal in multiple positions relative to at least one drum; 
 ii) at least one second slot running along at least one width of at least one top section of said at least one base plate; and 
 iii) at least one clamping-device adjustment mechanism, positioned in said at least one second slot and coupled to said at least one clamping device, structured and arranged to allow said at least one clamping device to move laterally within said at least one second slot. 
 
     
     
       19. The adjustable drum pedal according to  claim 18  wherein said at least one frame comprises:
 i) at least one pair of support columns; 
 ii) base members coupled to said at least one base plate and said at least one pair of support columns to couple said at least one pair of support columns to said base plate; and 
 iii) at least one cross bar rotatably coupled to at least one support column of said at least one pair of support columns. 
 
     
     
       20. The adjustable drum pedal according to  claim 19  wherein said at least one drive assembly comprises:
 i) at least one wheel device movably coupled to said at least one cross bar; 
 ii) at least one flexible linkage coupled to said at least one wheel device and to said at least one foot pedal; and 
 iii) end couplers coupled to at least one first end and at least one second end of said at least one flexible linkage to secure said at least one flexible linkage to said at least one wheel device and said at least one foot pedal. 
 
     
     
       21. The adjustable drum pedal according to  claim 20  wherein:
 i) said at least one wheel device comprises at least one channel, said at least one flexible linkage positioned to rest in said at least one channel, one of said at least one end couplers coupling said at least one flexible linkage to said at least one channel in said at least one wheel device; and 
 ii) at least one spring device structured and arranged to return said at least one drum-beater mechanism to at least one starting position when pressure is removed from said at least one foot pedal. 
 
     
     
       22. The adjustable drum pedal according to  claim 20  wherein said at least one base plate is shorter than said at least one foot pedal.